Pacing back and forth in his room, he packs his suitcase with the essentials: clothes, books, CDs, a couple pictures of family and friends that have hung on his wall for years. His swim cap sits on the top of his bed, apart from everything else. He cannot forget it.
His parents have come upstairs eight times to see if he is ready. They fight tears as he zips up his last duffle bag, signaling that it is time. They grip him close, as tears stream down their cheeks. Now, he’s ready for his flight from England to Raleigh, North Carolina — the place he will call home for the next four years.
Stephen Mellor, a sophomore in communication from England, planned to come to the U.S. to attend college.
“It was always a dream to come to a university in America, to be honest, and the opportunity came about through a scholarship in swimming,” Mellor said. In his second year at NCSU, Mellor, captain of the men’s swimming team, describes his first month at N.C. State as a “roller coaster” that was at some times “daunting” and “scary.” But once he settled in, he said he felt more comfortable. “But as time went by, I got more friends. I got used to the way of life over here. I’d say after about four, maybe five weeks here, I didn’t regret my decision at all.” Conor Dineen, a junior in business from Ireland, said the major difference he has noticed between NCSU and the college he previously attended in Ireland is that NCSU has dorms. As opposed to living in an apartment in Ireland, Dineen said living in such a close environment with other students has been a unique experience. “Here you have a roommate, which I’m not used to, even though I like it. I settled in quite well, but it is a difference,” Dineen said. Dineen lives in Alexander Hall, the international student residence hall, and said it is a good idea to have many international students living in the same place because they are new to campus life, and they can relate on that level. Raphael Remmers, a graduate student in industrial engineering from Germany, also said the relationships between fellow international students have helped him adjust. “It’s actually easier to get to know international students because they have the same problems. They also stay at home on the weekends because … they don’t have parents to visit here in the states,” Remmers said. Dineen said he has had to adjust to the academic requirements. Back in Ireland, he said that courses usually last a year, not a semester. “We don’t have attendance records. We don’t get homework. We have end-of-year exams rather than, like here, exams every four weeks nearly” Dineen said. Remmers, who has remained busy since he first arrived in Raleigh seven weeks ago, said there are always things for him to be involved in, so he never gets bored.
“On the weekends I go to the football games, or I go and travel around. For fall break I will go to Boston to see a friend that studies at Harvard,” Remmers said.
Other international students have a harder time adjusting. Ria Vyas, a junior in biological sciences, said when she came here, she was “really scared because it was such a big college.” “When I came over here it was like “Oh … there are 30,000 students,'” she said. “In every class, I made sure there was one friend I could talk to.” Vyas, now in her third year, has completely settled in. She talks with her family almost every day, and goes home to India once every six months. Vyas said her professors and advisers helped her the past three years. “The international office has different advisers. Whatever problem I have, I can go talk to them any time,” she said.
Vyas said she has enjoyed her education here so much that she wishes more people in India and other countries knew about NCSU. Vyas said she thinks there should be more international-student recruitment.
According to the Office of International Services, located on the third floor of Daniels Hall, 5.79 percent of students are international.
OIS offers programs to international students such as the English Conversation Club, which helps students practice their English-speaking skills. According to the OIS Web site, the group meets every Friday from 3:30 – 4:30. It also provides a weekly newsletter that highlights events involving international students.
OIS also has a program called the International Friendship Program, which links a student with a local American family, so the student can see how people live in the broader Raleigh community, not just on campus.
Remmers said not having a car and living on campus allows him to see only what goes on around the college. He said he doesn’t get to see Raleigh as much as he would like.
“It was quite good to get to know the family life, because as students you only get to know the campus life,” Remmers said.
With sports and programs like International Friendship Program, international students like Mellor and Remmers don’t have a hard time adjusting to life at NCSU.
